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Trump supporters slam Adam Rippon for declining White House invite

The Winter Olympic games are in full swing in Pyeongchang — and not without controversy.

U.S. figure skater Adam Rippon, who is openly gay, expressed disappointment in Vice President Mike Pence presence at the games. Pence has a history of fighting against LGBTQ rights in the United States. Talking to USA Today in January about Pence leading the delegation at the games, Rippon said, “I don’t think he has a real concept of reality. To stand by some of the tings that Donald Trump has said and for Mike Pence to say he’s a devout Christian man is completely contradictory.”

Now, following the U.S. figure skating team’s bronze medal win, Rippon said he will not go accept an invitation from Donald Trump to visit the White House for an Olympic celebration. Trump supporters swiftly responded on social media to Rippon’s snub.

Others, however, applauded the skater for standing up against the Trump administration.

Neither Rippon, Pence, nor Trump has responded to the backlash, but the figure skater did tell Good Morning America he will not meet with the VP. "I personally don’t have anything to say to Mike Pence. I’m very lucky because legislation that he’s pushed hasn’t affected my life at all. I spoke out because there are people whose lives have been affected by changes he’s tried to make. I spoke out for them because right now I have a voice. … That’s a conversation for them."